RAS question
What is the total outlay of the PM E-DRIVE scheme?
Correct answer: (C) ₹10,900 crore.
The PM E-DRIVE scheme has a total outlay of ₹10,900 crore for promoting electric vehicle adoption and charging infrastructure.
Explanation
PM E-DRIVE stands for PM Electric Drive Revolution in Innovative Vehicle Enhancement. The Government of India notified the scheme to give impetus to green mobility and the development of the EV ecosystem in the country. Its outlay is ₹10,900 crore over two years, from 01.04.2024 to 31.03.2026. This is why option C is correct: the scheme is not just a small demand-incentive package, but a broader EV-support programme covering incentives for consumers, creation of capital assets such as e-buses, establishment of a charging-station network, and upgradation of vehicle testing agencies.
Why the other options are wrong
- (A) ₹5,000 crore is too low; the PM E-DRIVE outlay is ₹10,900 crore.
- (B) ₹7,280 crore does not match the notified outlay; the official figure given by PIB is ₹10,900 crore.
- (D) ₹25,060 crore overstates the scheme size; the total outlay is ₹10,900 crore.
Concept
This tests schemes and public expenditure under Indian Economy, especially how Union schemes use budgetary outlays to support sectoral priorities. It recurs in RAS because EV adoption, charging infrastructure and green mobility link economic policy with infrastructure and current affairs.